The French actor Gérard Depardieu (74) was indicted in 2021 for rape and sexual assault, and subsequently the headlines have not been long in coming.
Not invited
After ending up on the front of several newspaper covers for various scandals, the 74-year-old has now disappeared without a trace. Several French people are now asking themselves: Where on earth has Gérard Depardieu become?
Disappeared without a trace
Depardieu has a successful film career behind him, and is one of France’s most recognized actors. The 74-year-old is known from blockbusters such as “Life of Pi” and “Green Card”, and he has also played Obelix in the “Astérix and Obelix” films.
“LIFE OF PI”: Gérard Depardieu starred in the hit film “Life of Pi”. Photo: Ingenious media/Haishang/Kobal/Rex/Dune/Shutterstock/NTB Show more POPULAR FIGURE: Depardieu played Obelix in the films about the duo Asterix and Obelix. Photo: Jean Marie Leroy/Fidelite/Wild Bunch/Cinetotal/Lucky Red/Kobal/REX/Shutterstock/NTB Show more
It is the Belgian newspaper HLN which now reports that Depardieu has not been observed for over two weeks.
Avisa points out that the actor has disappeared shortly after he wrote an open letter on the website Le Figaro in connection with the fact that he has been accused of sexual assault on several women.
“I can no longer accept what I hear and read about myself. It has affected me greatly,” was one of the things he wrote in the open letter.
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Since then, his participation in the theater festival in the French commune of La Teste-de-Buch has been canceled without any explanation.
– It has not been possible to get hold of Gérard Depardieu in fifteen days. Those who know him well think he is abroad, says mayor of La Teste-de-Buch Patrick Davet to South West
Won in court
– Olivier Marchal (French actor, editor’s note) can’t get hold of him either. Even his girlfriend Catherine Deneuve can’t get hold of him.
Alleged to have assaulted 13 women
Furthermore, HLN speculates whether it is the involvement in a number of scandals that has caused the actor to go underground.
Depardieu was charged with rape before Christmas in 2020, but the accusation was not made public until February 2021.
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At the time, the charges came after a French judge reopened an investigation into the movie star, which had previously been dropped in 2019. The woman, a 24-year-old actress and author, has since filed a civil lawsuit, according to AFP.
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According to the woman, she was assaulted and raped twice by Depardieu in 2018 at his home in Paris. She is said to have been to the actor’s home in connection with an audition for a role.
Depardieu, for his part, has denied the accusations.
In April this year, the French independent online newspaper published Mediapart an investigative report, where it emerged that Depardieu allegedly sexually assaulted 13 women.
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– Like kicking my own mother
Last month, as mentioned, the 74-year-old wrote an open letter on the website Le Figaro, where he strongly opposes the rape accusations.
Struggling to sell
“Never, never have I abused a woman. Hurting a woman would be like kicking my own mother in the stomach,” he wrote in the letter.
The accusations were made by female actors, production staff and make-up artists. The events in question must have occurred in connection with eleven different film recordings between 2004 and 2022.
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One of the incidents mentioned in the investigative report concerns a former extra who worked with Depardieu on the film “The Box” in 2015.
According to the woman, the actor must have “put his hand under the dress” and “tried to get inside the panties”. When she pushed him away, he allegedly became “aggressive” and tried again to finger her.
Announces changes after the scandals
Mediapart quotes a member of the production team as saying that the recording was put on hold. The scene was eventually changed so that the extra was no longer standing with Depardieu.
Friendship with Putin
However, the abuse accusations are not the only thing that has created a stir around Depardieu.
Rage Against Sex Claims
In 2013, the actor announced that he had applied for Russian citizenship. This after French politicians had criticized him for wanting to move abroad to escape high taxes, according to BBC. In the same year, he received his Russian passport, and was photographed shaking hands and hugging Russian President Vladimir Putin (71).
RUSSIAN PASSPORT: Gérard Depardieu shows off his new Russian passport in 2013. Photo: Caroline Larson/AFP/NTB Show more
Since then, the actor has spoken warmly about the Russian president.
2013: Gérard Depardieu and Vladimir Putin. Photo: Ria Novosti/Reuters/NTB Show more
Last February, just before the war in Ukraine broke out, Depardieu shared a photo of himself hugging Putin on Instagram. The image has subsequently been deleted, according to News24.
As tensions rose between the two neighboring countries, Depardieu went on French television with an appeal to “leave Vladimir alone”, according to New York Times.
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In retrospect, the actor probably therefore surprised many during an interview with France24 with the following statement:
– Russia and Ukraine have always been brothers. I am against this fratricidal war. Put down your weapons and start negotiating.
2023-11-21 00:03:36
#Disappeared #trace
